Second Printing!
Southern African Birdfinder:
Where to Find 1400 Bird Species in Southern Africa and
Madagascar Callan
Cohen, Claire
Spottiswoode and Jonathan Rossouw
ISBN: 1868727254
Language: English
Format: 210mm x 148mm
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 448
Colour photographs and maps throughout.
Published: 2006-04-07
Imprint: Struik
Now
in its second print run, this best-selling book has become
the essential companion to all local bird field guides.
The Southern African Birdfinder fills a gap in the book
market for a comprehensive guide to the regionís top birding
destinations and to finding southern Africa and Madagascarís
most desirable birds. The authors outline and describe
39 key bird routes and more than 330 birding sites (and
their associated birds) across South Africa, Namibia,
Botswana, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and the little-documented
but increasingly popular areas of Angola, Mozambique,
Zambia and Malawi. All sites are ranked into one of three
categories of priority: essential (the regionís best);
excellent (top sites but expendable to a time-limited
visitor) and local interest (ideal for those looking for
new areas to explore). Sites include practical details
of access, best times to visit, habitat diversity and
the birds that occur there and general natural history;
the more important sites feature a detailed map. A guide
to finding the regionís top 150 birds and an annotated
checklist conclude the book.
Book reviews:
Beautifully-produced and superbly
designed this is THE essential “bird finder”
book for southern Africa. If a better or more attractive
“Where to Find…” guide has been produced
I’ve never seen it…and for birding the region
it is indispensable. http://10000birds.com/southern-african-birdfinder.htm
Perhaps a better title for this
book would be “How to see 1400 bird species in Southern
Africa in the least possible time!”. The first thing
you think when picking up this book is “How on earth
did they gather all this material?”. This really
is a tour de force and packs an enormous amount of information
into a very compact book and any previous site guide for
the region is now truly redundant. Covering 335 birding
sites in South Africa (193), Namibia (27), Botswana (14),
Zimbabwe (27), Mozambique (21), Malawi (16), Zambia (18),
Angola (5) and Madagascar (13). A helpful aspect is that
these sites are divided up into 38 birding routes that
allow the reader to plan trips that may last several days
or a week. Each site is described and in many cases a
map is included. Key target species for each are highlighted
in red and are supported by a cast of commoner species.
Many of these are illustrated. For a number of sites the
description is very detailed with step-by-step guidance
around the area. Some 150 species are selected for special
treatment in a separate chapter where tips are given on
where and when to find them. A full checklist list of
the 1400 species covered indicates each bird’s status
and a list of sites where they may be found, cross-referenced
back to the main text. Other introductory chapters include
useful information about the region including a section
on pelagic birding with a helpful month-by-month species
list. This is a great book that really does justice to
a fantastic part of Africa and its birds.
Keith Betton.
... First and foremost, you need
the South African Birdfinder . A site-guide par excellence,
this is a mine of pin-sharp information, and a delight
to use, especially to anyone brought up on those dreary
‘Where to watch Birds in…’ from the
UK. Makes trip reports like this one (almost!?) redundant.
... The South African Birdfinder, unquestionably the best
site guide ever written (and I stated that in one of my
trip reports!!) Oscar Campbell http://www.birdtours.co.uk/tripreports/s_africa/Western-cape-3/WN-cape-08.htm
Buy it directly from co-author Callan Cohen at the Birding
Africa office in Cape Town or buy it from our stand
UK Birdfair. Please email info@birdingafrica.com to enquire about availability first.
Essential Birding: Western South
Africa - Key Routes from Cape Town to the Kalahari Callan
Cohen, Claire
Spottiswoode
ISBN: 1-86872-524-3
Language: English
Format: 210mm x 148mm
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 136
Colour photographs and maps throughout.
Published: 2000
Imprint: Struik
Western South Africa is one of the world's greatest
biodiversity hotspots and is legendary among international
and local birders alike for the remarkable suite of
birds that are found here and no-where else.
This guide details how and where to find these species,
as well as other eco-tourism attractions such as big
game, whales and flowers.
Authors Callan Cohen and Claire Spottiswoode, research
students at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African
Ornithology at the University of Cape Town, link over
100 birding sites into practical routes that encompass
the whole of southern and western South Africa.
These birding routes range from the mountainous environs
of Cape Town to the West and South coasts and inland
to the famed desert regions of the Kalahari, Bushmanland
and Namaqualand.
The routes are well served with detailed, full colour
maps, and photographs illustrating the most sought-after
birds and their environments. The time-limited visitor
is informed of exactly how to get to each of the regions'
most rewarding birding sites, as well as what one can
expect to see there, and the best times and seasons
to visit. Also included are practical suggestions for
trip planning and a comprehensive annotated bird list.
Book reviews:
...this really is an essential
guide for any birder visiting the Cape...a real delight
to read...not only clear and easy to follow, but spot-on
for locating the specialties...I recommend that you
buy a copy, you may well be tempted to make plans to
visit this outstanding region. By Ron Johns, Birding
World
... an absolutely fantastic book...I don"t go anywhere
without consulting the book beforehand… I"m
already over-dependent on it.
By John Maytham, Cape Talk Radio
No serious birder should even
consider stepping onto the Cape without this guide.
Martin Birch, Surfbirds
...takes you by the hand and shoves new species
in front of your binoculars...hard to imagine birding
without this book.
Cameron Ewart-Smith, Getaway
...excellent tips for finding and identifying species...a
standard tool, for local and visiting birders alike
James Harrison, SA Bird Atlas, Veld
& Flora
… linked to practical routes
which encompass the whole region
Mark Johnston, SA4x4 magazine
Essential Birding was raffled by Bill Oddie during his
South Africa trip in association with Africa Birds &
Birding
...possibly the best 'Where
to find' I've ever read...
Gruff Dodd, Wales, United Kingdom
In
South Africa: Essential birding is out of print and
can only be obtained from the authors, but the Southern African
Birdfinder has been stocked by Exclusive
Books, Wordsworth and Bushwillow
stores throughout South Africa. It has also been available
at the Kirstenbosch
Botanical Gardens bookshop, any bookshop in the V&A
Waterfront, international airports, at evening meetings of
certain bird clubs (including the Cape
Bird Club, the Eastern Cape and Tygerberg Bird Clubs),
from the BirdLife South Africa store, or from the authors
directly (see below).
In the United Kingdom and Europe: Essential
birding is out of print and can only be obtained from the
authors, but the Southern African Birdfinder has been stocked
by a number of mail order bookstores. We recommend purchasing
a copy with Wildsounds
although it is also available at the Natural
History Bookstore, Subbuteo
Books and Amazon.co.uk
and worldwide online orders are accepted by these suppliers.
In North America: Essential birding is out
of print and can only be obtained from the authors, but the
Southern African Birdfinder is available from Wildsounds
(a highly recommended source) although it is also available
at the Natural History Bookstore,
Subbuteo Books and
Amazon.com and worldwide
online orders are accepted by these suppliers. We hope that
American Birding Association Sales will carry this title shortly.
About Birding Africa
Birding Africa is a specialist birding tour company
customising tours for both world listers and more relaxed holiday birders.
We combine interests in mammals, butterflies, dragonflies, botany and
other natural history aspects and will guide you to Africa's and Madagascar's
most diverse birding destinations. Our guides'
knowledge of African birds and birding areas is our greatest strength
and together we have rediscovered species, shared exciting observations
with the birding community and had a fun time exploring our home continent.
†We've even written two acclaimed guide books
on where to find Southern Africa's and Madagascar's best birds. Birding
is more than our passion, it's our lifestyle, and we are dedicated to
making professional, best value trips filled with endemic species and
unique wildlife experiences. Since 1997, we've run bird watching tours
in South Africa and further into Africa for individual birders, small
birding groups and top international tour companies. We've run Conservation
Tours in association with the African Bird Club and work with and
consult for a number of other top international tour companies and the
BBC Natural History Unit.